The Camera i

Last week I spent a little time discussing the DSi. Since the most important feature of the system is it's ability to play games, this was my main focus. I decided that, as nice as the improvements are over the DS Lite, they didn't enhance my gaming enjoyment enough to warrant the extra $40. But there are other things I haven't discussed yet. Much like the PSP, the DSi does more than just play games; it has all sorts of other fluff built in. This week, we'll discover if it's the good kind of fluff, like the kind that goes great with peanut butter; or the bad kind of fluff, like the kind you find between your toes.

The first thing you'll notice when firing up the system is the improved menu. Rather than have just a few options, as previous models did, this one has room for many programs, all laid out one after another. It seems to be modeled on the Wii menu, as the icons can be re-arranged as you choose. However, I wish there was an option to have the cursor default back to the "game" option upon system startup instead of staying on the last program you used. I always liked knowing that when turning on my DS I could simply press A a few times to get the game going without having to look at the screen. I can't do this anymore, but it's only a minor gripe.

Okay, so the first extra feature, and the one that's been advertised most, is the camera. Well, cameras, really. The DSi now has the ability to take photos, although at only 3MP, they probably won't look much better than your cellphone's. What makes it fun is the variety of things you can do to the pictures, both before and after taking. There are a number of effects, such as distortion that you can use to warp an image and graffiti that you can use to draw on top of things. There are also some neat color effects such as the Pleasantville mode (no, it's not officially called that) that takes all the color out of an image and allows you to put it back in, one color at a time. There are a few other fun things, such as custom-made frames, but one of most interesting-sounding options is called Resemblance mode, in which you take a picture of two people and it tells you how similar looking they are. However, upon testing I discovered that my brother and I only scored 16%, which rates us as "Unrelated", where as my girlfriend and I got 46%, which translates to "Siblings". Creepy!

As fun as the camera modes were for a little while, I can't imagine anyone getting too much pleasure out of them. I suppose you could just use it as a regular camera, but with no options such as zoom, aperture size, exposure time, or image quality, you're certainly not going to be taking any masterpieces. I've included a few of the pictures I took, which show off the quality as well as a couple of the color modes, so you can judge for yourself:

Regular outdoor shot
Color mode (Pleasantville mode) shot 1
Color mode shot 2
Colorpad mode shot 1
Colorpad mode shot 2

The next feature of the DSi is the sound editor mode, which nicely compliments photo mode. Using the DS microphone you can record small sections of sound then play them back at varying speeds and pitches. However, there aren't many editing options, such as the ability to chop up your samples, so this feature isn't very useful. The sound mode is also the place where you can play music stored on an SD card. Unfortunately, the DSi doesn't support regular MP3s so you must first convert to M4A, which can be done in iTunes (choose the "Create AAC Version" option). This means that each file will take up about twice as much space, but SD cards are really cheap so you should be able to afford a decent sized one.

While playing your music, you can alter the speed and pitch if you want, and also play your pre-recorded samples over the top. There's the option of drumming along using the L and R buttons, although this seems like a bit of a gimmicky feature. There's also a number of filters you can put the music through, to make it sound like an old NES game or a radio broadcast, although these are completely useless as far as I'm concerned, and don't sound anything like what they're supposed to. Closing the lid on the DSi keeps the music playing, which means you could use this as digital music player if you had no other option, but it's not ideal. In fact, the best aspect of the player is the visualizers, of which there are a large number, in varying styles. Some are even based on old NES games! The only problem is that I can't imagine myself sitting and looking at the screen while I listen to music, especially because it would drain the battery faster.

The next feature I'm going to look at is the Opera web browser. This isn't strictly a built-in feature; it must be downloaded from the DSi Shop, but since it's free, I figure everyone will grab it. It seems to be modeled on the Wii browser, with a similar start-up screen and menu bars. I worried at first that the DSi's Wi-Fi speed would be way too slow to support a browser, but it's actually not too bad. Don't get me wrong - loading a page with a lot of graphics still takes a while, but at least it appears to be a little better than the your other option - the painfully sluggish PSP. Unfortunately, it suffers because of the size and resolution of the DS's screens. The only real way to view a web page is to have the entire thing on the top screen and a zoomed-in portion on the bottom screen. Since you can't change the degree of zoom (well, if you can, it's not obvious), this means that you have to constantly move left and right to read lines of text, made worse by the fact that it takes half a second to load every time you shift your point of view. Ouch! Finally, there's no support for flash, which means no YouTube or Google Video. This is expected, but still a little disappointing.

All in all, the web browser seems fairly useless. Sure, if I was stuck in a Wi-Fi hotspot and needed to look something up, I suppose it would do, but this is really the only situation; I certainly wouldn't use it at home. One last thing worth mentioning is that even though the PSP's web browser isn't much more useful, at least on that system you could download pictures, music, and videos for immediate viewing, offline. If this could be done on the DSi then the browser might have some use, but as it stands, it's kind of worthless.

The final new feature of the DSi is the DSiWare Shop. This is a the place where downloadable games and applications are purchased, much like the Wii Ware shop. In fact, the DSiWare shop is very similar to it's home console counterpart, both in speed and layout. Speed being incredibly slow, and layout being kind of a pain. It's certainly not as easy to browse as, say, the Xbox Live Marketplace (which is far from perfect), but I suppose it does the trick. Games are arranged in order of price, and cost between $2 and $8. Since the DSi comes pre-loaded with $10 worth of credit, I decided to pick one up and try it out. The problem is, there's a very limited selection of titles, and many of those are "express" versions of retail games, such as Brain Age, Master of Illusions, and Clubhouse Games. Express version basically means a small portion of the full game, or in other words, a demo that you have to pay for. WarioWare Snapped sounded like fun, but I've heard that it's really frustrating trying to get the camera to register you correctly, so I skipped this title too.

In the end, I settled on Art Style: Aquia, a $5 falling-block puzzle game that received fairly good review scores. I'm happy to report that it only took a few minutes to download and was accessible from the DSi's main menu from then on. As far as the game goes, well, it's not bad, but I think I'm going to save my opinions for a full review later on. The point is, the DSiWare Shop works fine, but it's hard to tell if it's worth the extra cost of the system yet; we'll have to see what titles are released in the future. One small annoyance is the fact that games can't be accessed from the SD card and must instead be transferred to the system's limited memory (again, like the Wii). It's not an issue right now, but could become one after I purchase more of them.

This pretty much covers all the extra modes of the DSi, but there are a few other hidden additions that are worth mentioning, the most interesting of which being the faster CPU and improved RAM. The DS Lite has a 66Mhz processor and 4MB of RAM, where as the DSi has a 133Mhz processor and 16MB of RAM. As you can see, the system is a lot more powerful than it's predecessor, but what is this extra power for? After all, they can't start releasing retail games that take advantage of this improvement or they won't work on existing DS Lites. I suppose they could have some intensive DSiWare games on the way, but they haven't given any details yet so this is pure speculation. The system also has improved Wi-Fi encryption, so those of you who couldn't get your existing DS to connect to your home network might have more luck now.

Finally, I just want to mention one thing that has nothing to do with game playing or extra features - the color and finish of the system. I really like my white DS Lite and my girlfriend likes her pink one but strangely enough, neither of these colors is available. They may add them later, but it's still a shame. I was also quite fond of the shiny, iPod-style finish of the DS Lite, compared to the matte finish of the DSi. The matte finish makes it look, I don't know, unfinished, like someone put on the initial primer coat then forgot to add the rest. I also worried that it would easily pick up scuffs and scratches, although this doesn't seem to be the case so far. It's clear that Nintendo were trying to emulate Apple's iPod design with the DS Lite, which I suppose isn't necessary now that the console has proven itself so well (although they did steal the little "i" this time). This isn't really a big deal, though, and certainly not something that should affect your decision to buy one or not. Oh, and by the way, I got it in black.

So in conclusion, I definitely like the DSi and all of it's improvements, but haven't seen anything that makes it much better than the DS Lite. However, the DSiWare Shop has the potential to be fantastic, provided it gets support from some third-party developers, so this could become the must-have feature. So should you buy one? Well, if you don't already own a DS but are thinking of purchasing one, go for the DSi. The larger screens and improved speakers and buttons are nice, but it's really the improved specs and DSiWare Shop that you want. Although they haven't shown off the full capabilities of these changes, the system has the potential to pull ahead of the DS Lite when developers start taking full advantage of it's features. But what if you already own a DS Lite? Should you upgrade? At this point, I'd have to say no. While we're all expecting some great downloadable games in the future, they haven't arrived yet, so save your money until they do. The DS Lite is still a fantastic system, and you can always think about upgrading later, once the DSi proves itself.

You should now be fully informed of the differences between the DS Lite and the DSi. I hope this helps you decide whether or not to buy one, but feel free to leave a comment if you have any more questions. Next week, I'm going to finish up the discussion with a DS "best of" games list, so new owners of the system will know which titles to get first. See you then!

Desperate times....

Yesterday, I had a day off. Unfortunately, without a working Xbox 360, I wasn't quite sure what to do. Should I turn on one of my other consoles and carry on with a long-forgotten game? Should I spend my time doing something creative, or maybe enjoy some of the nice weather? No, I thought to myself; I've got a better idea: I'm going to fix my broken system.

Now, I'm hardly an electronics whiz, but I've opened and fixed simple things like controllers and speakers, so I figured an Xbox 360 couldn't be too different, right? Oh, and bear in mind that the system is out of warranty and had degraded to the point where it wouldn't even play games for more than 5 minutes, so I didn't really care if I broke it any more in the process. I was hoping to solve two main issues: The Red Ring of Death that only occurred when starting up the system, and the overheating that would cause it to shut down after a few minutes of operation.

Apparently, most of the problems with the console stem from it's inability to properly disperse heat. As it gets hot, the solder begins to crack. Then, when the motherboard starts to warp, the chips can literally pop out of place. The video I followed showed me how to take the system apart and replace the bolts that hold the heat sink in place. This would solve the RROD problem, and I hoped the overheating issue too. After gathering together the materials I needed, I started removing panels and opening the 360 up.

Unfortunately, I couldn't finish. After taking almost the entire thing apart (as shown in the above picture), I encountered some screws that I couldn't undo. They're torx head (that's the little star shaped ones), and smaller than the smallest torx head screwdriver I own. Since my local hardware store didn't have any either, I had no choice but to re-assemble my console and wait until I had chance to purchase the missing tool. But there's something I haven't mentioned yet: With every layer I removed, I encountered large amounts of dust. And I don't just mean a light sprinkling; everything from the fans to the vents to the heat sinks were completely caked in the stuff. In fact, one of the heat sinks (they're the big metal bits in the middle, for those who don't know) was so covered, I couldn't even tell what was underneath before I cleaned it off.

So even though I put my console back together without replacing anything, I hoped that the removal of so much dust would help out with the overheating issue. After all, it was a problem that had been getting worse as time went on, so accumulation of dust could explain it. I fired up Rock Band and started playing; worrying that at any moment my screen would go black and those red rings would light up. It didn't happen though. After a while, I got a bit more confident, and tried out Fallout 3. I played for the next few hours, and not once did my 360 shut down. I was feeling extremely smug by now.

So far, a day has passed and the console seems to be working fine. But lets get one thing straight: The RROD issue hasn't been fixed; the system still has trouble booting up, but has been fine once it's on. I still plan on taking it apart again to fix this other problem, but as long as I can play it for now, I'm happy. It means that I can check out those $10 games I got from Best Buy last weekend, as well as the Left 4 Dead Survival Mode that was released a week ago. Expect some opinions of all of these when I get a chance.

So anyone out there with a broken, out of warranty Xbox 360, you might want want to check this guide out. The process of opening your system up is far less daunting than I would have imagined, and is a lot cheaper than replacing it. Besides, it's a fun afternoon project. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some serious gaming time I need to catch up on.....

Club culture

It's been a few months since the launch of Club Nintendo in the US, the program that allows customers to redeem points cards found in Nintendo-published games. When it launched, I got excited at the prospect of getting something free simply because of all the old games sitting on my shelf. Then, when the initial excitement wore off, I sort of forgot about it.

Now that my 360 is broken, though, I've had to find other ways of occupying my time, and registering all my games came to mind. In case you weren't aware, you don't get points for all games on Wii and DS, only those published by Nintendo. Even so, it still took a while for me to punch in all the codes and answer the brief but annoying surveys. I highly doubt that anyone reads the answers you write, but I still filled them in with my honest opinions. After all this, I ended up with a grand total of 930 points, which is more than I need to score the exclusive Game and Watch Collection I had my eye on.

This isn't all, though. It turns out that there is an additional "post play" survey that appears 4-6 weeks after each game is registered. They're only worth 10 extra points and ask very similar questions to the first survey, but I still plan on going back a month from now and completing them. I already got to fill out post play surveys on the three games I registered back in December, but I have another eighteen to go, meaning another 180 points. I also plan on registering the replacement DSi I get, as the one I own now has a struck pixel. That's worth another 160 points. Finally, once I link my Wii Shop Channel to my Club Nintendo account I should be able to get 10 points for WiiWare title Bit.Trip Beat. Nice.

Unfortunately, not everything could be registered. It turns out that only the DSi is eligible for points, so I get nothing for the Wii or DS Lites in the house. I also found that four of my games got me no points, despite the fact that they are published by Nintendo and have the registration cards inside. It wasn't even the really old or obscure games either; they all stared well known Nintendo characters. Oh well, I still have as many as I need for any prize I choose.

Looking at all they have on offer, I still think the Game and Watch Collection is the one to have. Everything else seems to be carrying cases and decks of cards. There's also a rather funny Mario-hat style DS game holder; funny because by the time you've bought enough games to earn it, it would already be too small to hold them all! No, I think I'm going to stick with my original choice. I'm hoping for a nice dose of nostalgia, as I did indeed own a Game and Watch many years ago, before I even owned a NES. Unfortunately, the collection doesn't contain Donkey Kong Jr., which is the one I used too play, but I don't believe that one was even duel-screened anyway.

After this, I'll probably just save the remainder of my points, in case they add cool new stuff in the future. Then I just have to sit back and wait for my sweet prize to arrive so I can share my opinions of it with all of you. But don't let me hog all the fun; head on over to Club Nintendo and start registering your games. If enough people participate in the program, there's a chance we may see some of the awesome Japanese-only prizes come Stateside (like the Game and Watch Collection 2!). Happy hunting!

Better get some screen protectors!

Rhythm games sure are popular these days. Over the last few years we've had plenty of opportunity to act like a rock star with a variety of plastic instruments. Now developers must set their sights on something new, and it seems that virtual disc-jockeying might just be it. First we heard about Activision's DJ Hero; then 7 Studios revealed Scratch: The Ultimate DJ; and now, French developer Game Life have announced DJ Star, coming later this year for Nintendo DS.

Using the touch screen to spin the records, players must gain experience, please fans, and work their way up from local clubs to huge dancehalls full of screaming fans. Over 40 famous songs will be available, along with a variety of mini-games. There will even be step-by-step instructions, which leads me to believe the game may actually contain some complexity (here's hoping). On top of all that, players will be able to create and remix their very own songs, which can be saved on the card and shared with friends over Wi-Fi. Awesome!

Now, as you may know, I'm a huge fan of rhythm games and a huge fan of the DS, so when the two come together, I get more than a little excited. Virtual DJing seems like it could be really fun (yes, I'm aware of Beatmania), and putting the turntables onto the DS touch screen seems like such an obvious idea that I'm surprised it hasn't been done already! Unfortunately, not much more is known about DJ Star at this time, but I'll be sure to post the details as they become available.

Devil May Buy

Are you in the mood to buy some brand new video games but just don't have the money right now. Do you spend your nights wishing that stores would lower that $60 price, even for just a little while? Well, wish no more - starting on Sunday, Best Buy are running a huge sale on video games, including a large selection for only $10. Yeah, you heard me correctly; ten American dollars.

But what's going to be available? They must all be terrible games, right? Well, no; they're just titles that the store has too many of and need to clear out to make room. There are plenty of fairly recent games, including Devil May Cry 4, Condemned 2, Silent Hill Homecoming (all of which I plan on buying), and Rock Band (no, not the full band kit - dream on!). Even though my 360 isn't working right now, I just can't pass up on such a good deal. There are also $10 games for PS3, PS2, Wii, and DS, which you can check out here.

That's not all, though. There are sales on other games, such as GTA Chinatown Wars for DS, which you can get for only $20 this week (buy it!). There's too much to list here, so it's probably easiest if you just take a trip to your local Best Buy tomorrow and see for yourself. Although the sale will be on all week, popular titles are sure to be snatched up right away, so don't dawdle. Oh, and here's a pro tip: Log onto bestbuy.com and order the games beforehand for in-store pick up. That way, you don't have to face the rush and are guaranteed to get everything you want. Enjoy!

Too much DLC on my hands

This week in Rock Band, we take a little trip back to the 70s with Styx and REO Speedwagon. I can't say I'm too familiar with either of these groups, but I haven't even heard of Hautewerk, the other group to provide some tracks. Assuming that fans of Styx would also be fans of REO Speedwagon, they've bundled all seven tracks together for only 880 MSP/$11, and the Hautewerk songs are bundled for only 440 MSP/$5.50, but, as always, each track can be acquired individually for 160 MSP/$2.
Here's what's on offer:

Styx - Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)
Styx - Renegade
Styx - Too Much Time on My Hands
REO Speedwagon - Ridin' the Storm Out
REO Speedwagon - Roll With the Changes
REO Speedwagon - Take It On the Run
REO Speedwagon - Can't Stop Rockin'

Hautewerk - Stop Start Again
Hautewerk - Alone in My Head
Hautewerk - I Know Where You Came From
Note: Click on any song for expert drum videos (except for Stop Start Again - couldn't find one).

Unfortunately, my 360 is feeling a little under the weather right now, so I couldn't purchase any of the songs. It's a shame really, as some of them look like fun to play, but I suppose the things you can't have are always the things you want the most, right?

In other news, Pepsi are soon to begin a promotion in which they give away free Rock Band sets and DLC. Aspiring directors will have the opportunity to create their own Rock Band music video in hopes of winning an MTV Music Awards "Moonman" (whatever that is), but even less creative types have the chance to win prizes. On June 22nd, the "under the cap" contest begins, where free downloadable songs can be found, you guessed it, under the cap of promotional Pepsi bottles. There are rumors that a million songs will be given away in total, but this hasn't been confirmed, nor has the selection of tracks available. If they turn out to be good, though, I guess I'll be switching soda brands for a little while.....

We also got confirmation of the upcoming Lego Rock Band, including a few gameplay details. I've already spent a little time discussing them, so you can click here for all the info.

A colossal mistake

I've already made my thoughts on video game movie adaptations known, but I just couldn't keep my mouth shut about the latest piece of electronic entertainment that's planned for the big screen. Hollywood Reporter's Risky Business Blog recently revealed that PS2 classic, Shadow of the Colossus, will be next in line for the celluloid treatment.

Kevin Misher, the producer of many fabulous pieces of cinema, including The Scorpion King and The Rundown (as well as some that don't star The Rock) is the man planning it, and has hired Justin Marks to be the screenwriter. What? You don't know who Justin Marks is? Well, turn over that copy of the recent Streetfighter movie that you're using as a coaster and you should see his name on it.

Video game fans will probably already be groaning, and with good reason. After all, Shadow of the Colossus is considered a modern masterpiece of the genre, and most video game movies completely butcher the source material in an effort to attract more mainstream audiences. It also seems strange to adapt a game that has only one character (essentially), very little dialog, and a highly ambiguous plot and ending.

Sensing the negative buzz that was beginning to grow around the project, Marks gave an interview to Risky Business Blog, stating some of the reasons why this movie would be different from those that came before. "I think many of the games haven't worked as movies because it's hard to find the right game. There are very few that lend themselves to movies," Marks said. "But that doesn't mean that Hollywood shouldn't try," he added. "If we started thinking that anything that worked in one medium shouldn't be adapted for another we wouldn't have a lot of the great movies we've had, because so many of them came from novels."

Okay, I have to stop you for a minute, Justin. Comparing book adaptations to video game adaptations is just wrong. I mean, books may contain a lot more story than most films could fit in, but we're still talking about a non-interactive medium with plots that play out exactly the same every time. While you may be able to translate a video game's story to the big screen, this is often a small part when compared to all the other aspects of gameplay.

In fact, this is the very reason why Shadow of the Colossus is one of the worst choices of game to turn into a movie. Anyone who's played it should remember that the plot, action, and epic set-pieces all play second fiddle to the game's biggest draw: the puzzles. Figuring out how in the world you're going to scale the enormous beasts and bring them down provides most of the thrill. Sure, it's still fun to play, but the puzzles are what make this title such a work of genius. I don't think that just watching someone figure them out would be quite as fun.

As I said before, this isn't the only reason why Shadow is a bad choice for a movie. It seems, though, that Marks has acknowledged some of these possible issues, as he stated in the interview, "With a lot of games there are so many elements in the universe you spend your time tearing down and tearing down. What's nice about this game is that it's so sparse so you can start building right away."

Okay, so let me translate that for you. What he meant was, "Shadow of the Colossus would make a terrible movie as it is, since there is little-to-no plot or dialog. However, we think that slapping the name on a loose adaptation might make us a lot of money. Screw artistic integrity!" Okay, this may be a little harsh, but I just can't imagine the screenwriter of the universally-hated Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li being able to capture any of the brilliance of one of the best games of the decade. Well, at least Marks said that he wouldn't be adding a cheesy sidekick in, although I'm sure there's room for plenty of other Hollywood cliches.

Anyway, I think I got my point across. Not much more is known about the project so I guess there's a chance it may never even happen, but since Hollywood has been totally tapped-out of original ideas for a long time now, they need to adapt something. I suppose only time will tell if the Shadow of the Colossus movie deserves to be shelved next to BloodRayne, Doom, and House of the Dead, or shelved next to the good movie adaptations, such as...... er...... I'll have to get back to you on that.

Block and Roll

If you had asked me, a few months ago, which franchise would be the next to have a Lego adaptation, I would have considered the current selection of Lego games - Star Wars, Batman, and Indiana Jones - and probably said Harry Potter, or maybe X-Men. In fact, I imagine I would have listed just about every franchise I could think of, from Grand Theft Auto to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, before I got it right. Some of you may already know the news, but for those who don't, allow me to be the first one to tell you: Lego Rock Band is on the way.

We had already heard rumors about this, but now it's been completely confirmed. Not only that, but an Xbox.com listing even gives us a few details about this bizarre-sounding project. It turns out that the game will use existing peripherals (thank God!), and should be familiar to fans of current rhythm games. What won't be familiar, though, is the ability to unlock Lego pieces in order to "Build cooler vehicles and move to new venues". Hang on a minute! Vehicles? Last I checked, Rock Band was all about the experience of being on stage in a kick-ass group, not driving around looking for gigs. It seems as though Harmonix may be adding some more "gamey" elements to the franchise, moving away from the purity of their previous releases and into the realm of recent Guitar Hero titles.

That's not the only new element that's been added, though. The game will feature challenges that allow you to "destroy a giant robot, summon a storm, and demolish a skyscraper". How these will fit into the gameplay is yet to be seen, but for anyone out there who has a hard enough time with Rock Band as it is, you can look forward to a brand new, extra easy mode. And lets not forget that this is a Lego game, so full customization of your characters should be expected. While we've been able to design our avatars in rhythm games for a while now, this should be the first time it actually involves pulling them apart to fit new accessories.

One thing that hasn't been detailed yet is the tracklist, although they've let a few slip out, such as Blur's Song 2, Carl Douglas' Kung Fu Fighting, and Europe's The Final Countdown. This is actually quite pleasing to me, as I would have expected the clearly child-aimed game to be chocked full of cheesy pop and Nickelodeon songs, but I'm sure there will be plenty of those to follow. Probably the most important question about the track listing, though, is whether or not we'll be able to import the songs (along with the ones from The Beatles: Rock Band) into Rock Band 2, or vice-versa. Having everything in one place is part of the brilliance of the series, so I'd hate to have to start switching discs now. I know that importing tracks requires re-licensing them, but I'd be willing to pay a little extra if that's what it takes.

So, the big question that should be asked is, Are Harmonix oversaturating the market and diluting the strength of their brand? While Activision have been releasing as many Guitar Hero games as they can possibly manage, the Rock Band approach has been far more focused on downloadable content; picking which songs you want to purchase and adding them to your ever-growing library. It came as little surprise when it was announced that there would be no Rock Band 3 this year, as the series was always billed not as a game, but as a platform for releasing new music. Now that most gamers have at least one plastic instrument in their living rooms, it seemed like it was time to shift focus away from retail products and into the realm of digital content.

But Harmonix are delivering a bit of a mixed message. Instead of getting just one Rock Band game this year, we will actually be getting three: Lego Rock Band, Rock Band: The Beatles, and Rock Band: Unplugged for PSP. While they may be reaching for different audiences (to some extent), it still feels rather Activision-like, and I worry that audiences will soon get sick of seeing so many similar products on store shelves, not to mention how retailers feel about having to carry even more games in giant boxes. I guess we'll just have to wait until this holiday season to find out.

Tonight I'm gonna party like it's 9/9/99

1999 was a year of many wondrous things: Spongebob taught us the meaning of F.U.N.; Britney showed us that pop music videos weren't all bad; and we asked ourselves, "Just what is The Matrix?". But while all of these things may have kept going long after their prime, there was another that was cut down far too soon. I'm talking about the Sega Dreamcast. It's 1999 launch was overshadowed by Sony's announcement of the PS2, and it was destined to fail a mere two years into it's life, never again to be seen on the shelves of US stores. Until now.

Think Geek, possibly the best place on the net for useless toys and electronic gadgets (check out my awesome tie!), just went up a few more cool points with the addition of Sega's final console. But unlike Gamestop, who happily sold pre-owned Dreamcasts for years, Think Geek managed to get their hands on some brand new, in-the-box units. Unfortunately, their initial shipment appears to have dwindled, but there's a sign up list for any future shipments they may get. Of course, it's tough to believe that there was even one box of unopened Dreamcasts out there, let alone any more, but you never know.

Now, I'm not going to pretend that I've been a die-hard fan of the system since day one. No, I was among the many who chose to save their cash for Sony's next big thing, but I did pick one up eventually (when they could be purchased used, for only $25), and I'm glad that I did. Where else would I be able to play classic games such as Crazy Taxi, Rez, Soulcaliber, and Ikaruga? Well, actually, I suppose anyone with a PS2 could play Rez and Crazy Taxi. And I guess Crazy Taxi also came out for the Gamecube, along with Ikaruga. And, come to think of it, Ikaruga, Rez, and Soulcaliber have all been made available on Xbox Live Arcade. But there are other titles, such as Shenmue and Jet Grind Radio, that were never released for any other consoles (although their sequels were....)

So anyone out there who's been searching long and hard for a brand new Dreamcast, sign yourself up, and hopefully it wont be long before that dream comes true. And on the day it arrives, you can go round to your Sony-loving friend's house, shove it in their face, and say "Ha! Who's got the 10-year lifespan now?".

Time to face the inevitable

I've said it before and I'll say it again. There are only two things you can be certain of in this life: That one day you will die; and that your Xbox 360 will eventually crap out on you. Long-time readers will know that I've had issues with my system for a while, but never anything that interrupted my games. The dreaded red lights that sometimes flashed upon bootup could be avoided by simply leaving my system on all the time; a trick that kept me going through the busy holiday season.

I just couldn't stand the thought of sending it back to Microsoft and having to do without, and besides, it's not like the replacement system I would receive would be any better. It too would eventually succumb to one issue or another. As far as I was concerned, as long my three and a half year old launch system still played my games, then I was happy with it.

It seems that the strain has finally caught up with it, though. It was only recently that it started overheating and shutting down mid-game, but this problem has suddenly started happening constantly. In fact, this is the only reason I'm writing now instead of spending my afternoon off deep in Fallout 3 (yeah, I got back into it). I was also planning to go on a zombie hunt later, as the Left 4 Dead Survival Mode finally hit the Xbox Marketplace today. However, after my 360 overheated for the second time while downloading the pack, I knew I had more problems than just a horde of undead flesh-eaters.

I've tried moving my console and power supply and keeping a fan pointed at them, but this hasn't solved the problem yet. I also considered installing a game to the hard drive (a feature of the NXE that I still haven't tried), in case it worked better when not spinning a disc, but unfortunately, this isn't possible. You see, I just don't have enough space. Thanks to all those Rock Band tracks, I don't even have enough room for one single game. I got rid of all the demos and videos, leaving only save game data and XBLA games, but still not enough. Besides, the system still has too spin the disc for a while when copying, and I'm not sure if it will even do that anymore.

Microsoft have had a bunch of serious problems to deal with since the launch of the Xbox 360, from the Red Ring of Death to the the recent E74 issue. In an attempt to be first to market this generation, corners were cut, and consumers were left unhappy. I've always known that failure of my system was inevitable, but this doesn't make the problem any better. Since my console is now out of warranty, I have no other option than to save up and buy another one. I just hope that Microsoft's recent statement about the RROD turns out to be true, and the worst really is behind us. I guess it's a testament to the greatness of the 360's games and online service that consumers are still standing behind the most poorly manufactured console in all of gaming history.

But anyway, none of this solves my problem, and I'm left wondering how to spend my free time. I suppose I could fire up the Wii and carry on with Bit.Trip Beat or Zack and Wiki. Or maybe I could switch on the PS2 and get started on Persona 3, a game that I got for Christmas and haven't got a chance to play yet. Or maybe I could re-arrange my 360's setup and try to play it just one more time.....

I'll keep you updated.

Those in favor say i

It's been over a week since I was graced with the latest iteration of Nintendo's famous duel-screened handheld, and I felt it was about time to chime in with a few opinions. We've already heard a few from Chris, who also picked one up, but there's always room for a few more.

First of all, it's worth mentioning that I play my DS Lite all the time. While the DSi certainly has some physical differences, they are a lot more subtle than the differences between the Lite and the original DS. To be fair, though, the DS Lite is designed so fantastically that we couldn't expect such a huge leap this time. Instead, most of the changes are inside, and concern the operating system and built-in software. There are now a number of programs included to compliment your Pictochat experience, such as camera (with a variety of fun effects), and sound editor. However, I always loved my DS because of it's games, not mulitmedia capabilities (I have the PSP for that), so lets forget about these other features for now and concentrate on what counts.

The first thing worth mentioning is the size and shape of the system. It's almost like someone took a Lite and squished it, as the DSi is thinner and longer, with slightly bigger screens. The power button has been moved from the side to the front, but this makes no difference gameplay-wise. Now, as far as the other buttons go, I was quite upset to discover that Nintendo had regressed from the squishy-style ones of the DS Lite back to the clicky-style ones of the original DS. This was one of my favorite evolutions of the Lite, so I worried that the new design was a step backwards. It wasn't long, though, before I started to quite like the new buttons, and even discovered some advantages they have to the Lite's, such as when moving diagonally.

The volume control has also been shifted, and changed from a slider into digital buttons. This was another area that worried me, as the difference between degrees is a little larger than I would like on some devices, and the DSi is unfortunately one of these. This means that turning up the volume by just one notch while sitting in bed can be the difference between not hearing the music at all and filling the whole room with bleeps and bloops. Okay, this may be a bit of an exageration, but getting the volume just right in quiet situations is going to be a lot tougher on the DSi than it was previously.

Those who chose to turn the speakers up all the way, though, will discover that they are vastly improved from the admitedly-weak variety of the DS Lite. This is a definite improvement, and a great selling point for anyone who spends a lot of time playing rhythm games and software, such as Daigassou Band Bros. or Korg's DS-10 Synth.

There are two more important things that I was pleased to discover as well. When I first picked up my original DS I also bought a great carrying case that holds the system and charger, along with eight games and a few other things. I continued to use this with my DS Lite and was glad to find that my DSi fits fine, despite the slightly larger AC adapter. I was also worried that my metal pro-stylus wouldn't fit the new model and I would have to buy another, but thankfully it sits in there snugly.

So how does it feel when playing games? This is the most important factor, and I wondered if it would take time to adjust to the new shape and buttons. It didn't take long, though, before I felt totally at home with the new design and was playing like a pro. I finished the difficult final levels of Henry Hatworth on it, and have gotten most of the way through Retro Game Challenge, so I can't complain. However, I never really had any complaints about the feel of the DS Lite either, so this isn't really much of a selling point. The larger screens are nice and make the experience slightly better, but it's not a dramatic improvement, so I wouldn't say this is worth the extra money either.

And now it's time for a complaint. I know that mass production of advanced technology leads to occasional errors and glitches, but I never had any problems with my DS before. Unfortunately, my new DSi has suffers from a stuck pixel, so I plan on bringing it back for another when I get a chance (but not before registering it for Club Nintendo Points). I'm sure this is just an isolated incident, but it's still a shame that I have to deal with an issue that I thought was more of a PSP problem. We'll have to see, as time goes by, what percentage of systems suffer from this or similar issues.

So, as far as game-playing goes, is the DSi worth the extra $40 over the DS Lite? From what I've seen, I'd have to say no. I definitlely like the changes, but feel that the design of the DS Lite is still perfectly fine. Also, those who wish to play GBA games or Guitar Hero: On Tour will need to pick up a DS Lite as the new model does away with the GBA slot. This doesn't mean that the DSi is bad purchase, though, as it contains other improvements that I haven't covered yet, such as the camera, DSi-Ware shop, and more powerful CPU. The reason why I haven't alked about those is because they're not entirely game-related, so should be considered seperately.

Next week, I'm going to spend a little time discussing some of these features and will probably pick up a couple of DSi-Ware games to check out as well. Then you'll know for sure whether the DSi is the ultimate version of your favorite handheld, or just another Game Boy Micro. See you then!

Freedom isn't free

Ask any PS3 fan to tell you what makes Playstation Online better than Xbox Live and there's one answer you're sure to get: It's free. They might have other reasons as well, but this factor will certainly come up. However, it turns out that this isn't exactly true, at least not entirely. MTV's Muliplayer Blog recently ran a story that exposed a previously-unknown cost, but it's not for gamers, it's for developers.

Up until October, companies who wished to host content over Playstation Online, whether that be DLC, PSN Games, or even videos and demos, had to pay nothing to Sony. All that changed when Sony decided to start charging 16 cents per GB downloaded. This applies to all content, although game demos only cost money for the first sixty days; everything else continues to rack up fees for as long as it's being hosted.

So what does this mean for developers? Well, lets look at the recent demo for Resident Evil 5. It weighs in at almost an entire GB and was downloaded over 4 million times. Assuming that half of these were on Xbox 360, this still leaves 2 million GB of data downloaded on PS3. At 16c per GB, this adds up to a hearty $320,000 that Capcom must shell over for content that they're not even making any money from. I suppose, though, that the whole point of a demo is to increase sales of the final product, although in this case, I'm not sure if helped.

Now, lets be fair for a moment: Bandwidth does cost money, and someone has to pay for it, but who should that be? There are really three options here: Sony could pay for it; they could charge developers for it (as they're doing now); or they could charge the customers for it. But which of these is most fair? I guess that depends on who benefits the most.

Unfortunately, there's no real way of knowing how much companies profit from offering demos. I think it's safe to say that free content can spur system sales, but to what degree is anyone's guess. Therefore, Sony are making money from the Resident Evil demo, but maybe not enough to justify paying for it. On the other hand, Capcom definitely benefit from the free trial, as it gets people excited about their new game. If, however, the increase in sales doesn't balance the cost of hosting the demo, they may be less-inclined to release trials of future titles.

So what about the consumer? Should they be the ones to front the cost? Microsoft clearly thinks they should, as Xbox Live is the only current-gen online service that costs money - $50 a year to be precise. Part of this fee most likely goes toward paying for the bandwidth of hosted content so developers don't have to, but this isn't the only way of handling things. Imagine if, instead, customers had to pay for their demos; maybe a dollar for each one. Before you yell at me for suggesting such a stupid idea, bear in mind that free demos have only come about in the last few years. Before that point, the only way to acquire them was to buy a magazine with a demo disc included, which could cost you $4-5 more than a similar magazine that had no disc.

But so far I've only talked about demos and free content. What about paid content, such as PSN Games? Smaller companies who are developing downloadable titles may find the added cost to be too much, which could discourage them from releasing their games at all. But surely, if they're making money off of the game, they can afford to pay for the bandwidth fees, right? Well, yes, I suppose they can, if they're actually selling any copies. If, however, a bunch of people download the trial version but don't upgrade to the full product, the developer could find themselves heavily in debt to Sony before too long.

This is the biggest fear people have concerning these fees - that companies will think twice about releasing content and the Playstation Store will fall behind the Xbox Live Marketplace. So far, though, no evidence of this has been apparent. There was the Call of Duty: World at War demo, which showed up on XBLM but not PSN, but there could be a number of reasons behind this decision.

As we move forward, bandwidth costs are an issue that more and more developers will have to deal with. We are already seeing full retail games being released for download, such as Burnout Paradise, and these files are, understandably, much larger than DLC or demos. With Burnout weighing in at close to 3.5 GB, it costs Criterion Games about 50c for everyone that buys it, so a million-selling title could reach upwards of $500,000. Also, this is a fairly small file when you consider that Blu-ray discs can hold up to 50 GB. If, in the future, a company decides to release one of these titles, it will cost them about $8 for everyone that buys it. It's hard to find solid details on how much physical discs cost to print and distribute, but if the cost of bandwidth approaches this figure then it will certainly discourage companies from releasing their games for download.

It may be a little too early to see the full impact of Sony's decision on the Playstation Store, but it will certainly have some effect. If companies start holding off on releasing content then Sony may be forced to chance their policy, but there's really no obvious solution to the problem. Since console makers, game developers, and customers all benefit from said content, finding a way of splitting the fees would be ideal, but this is easier said than done. I only hope that through trial and error we eventually hit upon an answer that's pleasing to everyone.

Fairly chosen DLC

This week in Rock Band, Guns N' Roses return after a 15 year absence to bring us Chinese Democracy, their long awaited album. Guns N' Roses, eh? Isn't that, like, old people music? While I'm sure the band were relevant at some point during the 80s, I care as much about their new album as I would care about an Alf reunion show. For fans of the band, though, you can pick up all thirteen tracks for the bargain price of 1600 MSP/$20, or individually for 160 MSP/$2.
Here's what's on offer:

Chinese Democracy
Better
Street of Dreams
If the World
There Was a Time
Catcher in the Rye
Scraped
Riad N' the Bedouins
Sorry
I.R.S.
Madagascar
This I Love
Prostitute
Note: Click on any song for expert drum videos.

Okay, so no points for guessing which tracks I bought. That's right - none of them. Some of them did look like fun, but I've become pretty picky about which music I want to listen to, especially with so much available. I suppose that if I still haven't bought anything a few weeks from now, though, I may come back and pick up a couple of them.

There hasn't been much else in the way of Rock Band news this week, except for a few details concerning The Beatles: Rock Band, due out later this year. First of all, we now have a price for the limited edition replica instrument set, in Europe. Folks across the pond who want to jam using oversized controllers that look kind of like the ones your favorite band used to, need only fork out €199, or £179 in England. This is in comparison to the $250 Americans will have to pay, so it looks like UK residents won't have to complain about getting shafted this time, price-wise. Instead, we're all getting shafted!

We also got a rumor from Game Informer, telling us that we may be able to look forward to harmonizing in the game, using multiple microphones. This would certainly be a great evolution for the series, but I only hope they include support for Lips mics, for those of us who already have some hanging around. Oh, and I'm looking forward to getting some pals together to sing a lovely rendition of Because. Rockin'!

There's still one string on me

The dream of a wireless age has become reality. I pop on my Bluetooth headset which wirelessly links to my computer, and that, in turn, wirelessly links to the internet. My 360 and Wii are both cable-free as they connect to their respective online services, and even modern handheld consoles wirelessly link to each other for multiplayer games. But whenever I want to listen to the music of my portable games without disturbing those around me, I let out a sigh, for this is the point where my wireless dreams come to an end and I wake up in a cold sweat with drool running down my face. Metaphorically.

Cable-free headphones are not the work of science fiction. In fact, I have a great pair that can be linked to my phone, computer, and even iPod (with the addition of a Bluetooth dongle), but not my DS. It's a real shame, as this is now the only device I use that must be tethered to my head by wires, which means I must carry multiple pairs of headphones with me. Sure, I don't have to use headphones for the majority of games, but anyone who's tried playing titles like Elite Beat Agents will realize that some are unplayable without.

So what I'd really like is a Bluetooth dongle made especially for DS. And no, I don't want one that's going to stick out from the bottom, but rather a nice sleek design that sits fairly flat against the base of the system. Since the DSi is already out, it's too late to request this feature to be built in, but that doesn't mean it's too late to make an external device. In fact, now would be a fantastic time to release such a product, as the DSi boasts the ability to play music and movies.

But what about the PSP? After all, this has been able to play music and movies from day one, so shouldn't it be an even better candidate for such a device? Well, maybe, but there's one big difference: PSP games only output sound, so any Bluetooth dongle with 1/4" headphone jack should work fine, where as many DS games utilize the microphone for sound input as well. Not only do I want to be able to hear the music, but I want to use my headset to hail taxis, blow out candles, and object during court cases.

Then there's online gaming. Both the DS and PSP have games that support VOIP, from Socom to Pokemon (and the PSP even has Skype built in), but I've never spent very long using this feature as it just didn't seem too practical, especially on PSP (because it involves plugging in both the PSP remote and headset). However, if I could use the same headphones I use for all my other media devices then it would seem a lot more appealing. After all, what's a Poke-battle without trash talking? Then again, I can't imagine Nintendo making it any easier for users to talk to one another because, as we all know, the only people who play DS games are kids and pedophiles.

So how about it, third-party peripheral manufacturers? Do you have anything like this up your sleeves, or are we going to keep living in the stone age, where electronic devices must be physically linked to one another in order to operate? I'm telling you right now, if you were to release such a device and it fit snugly against the DS then I would buy it on day one. Until that point, I guess I'll just keep on dreaming......

8 bits. 4 tracks. 2 cool.

Okay, this video may be a week old by now, but I still had to post it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. It showcases a new project by Insignificant Studios that combines my favorite games of yesteryear with my favorite game of the modern age. At a glance it appears to be nothing more than a really basic version of Rock Band, but once the music starts it becomes clear that there's a whole other element involved.

For you see, 8BITtar Hero is actually a cross between an old fashioned NES emulator and a current-day rhythm game. As one player makes his way over over pits of lava and past hordes of enemies, the soundtrack is converted into a familiar looking series of scrolling notes for the other four players. It's even possible to plug in plastic instruments, although I doubt it supports the microphone, as there aren't exactly a lot of lyrics in NES game soundtracks.

Unfortunately, 8BITtar Hero isn't being made as a commercial product, but rather as an exhibition piece for the University of California San Diego. The creators have stated that a downloadable version may become available, but this could cause legal issues, either by the rights holders for the original NES games, or by EA and Harmonix, whose Rock Band visual style has clearly been borrowed for the project. One thing that hasn't been mentioned, though, is whether it will support emulators for other consoles as well. Not only would I love to groove along to the soundtrack for ToeJam and Earl, but the ability to play Sonic games would also give vocalists something to sing along to, even if it was just the word "Sega" that plays at the start.

Anyway, here's the video that shows it action. For more information on the project, you can check out Insignificant Studios' site, here. Then we can all cross our fingers in hopes of seeing it in our living rooms at some point soon.

Wii price drop, but not for us

A couple of interesting pieces of Nintendo-related news have been revealed in the last month, and I thought it was time to briefly discuss them. First of all, have any of you been into a store recently and seen the price of a Wii? No, it hasn't gone down; it's still selling for $250, and this is what I want to talk about. We already know that Nintendo doesn't agree with the price drop model of business, but it turns out that the company is making even more profit now than when the system first launched.

Manufacturing costs of consumer electronics always go down as production is improved, and this allows companies to cut the cost of their products while still making money. Either that or they follow Apple's iPod plan, which involves selling a better product each year for the same price as the old one. Nintendo is no different, with a recent Financial Times article stating that Wii production costs have gone down 45% since November 2006. However, in all of this time, not a single penny of this saving has been passed on to consumers.

In fact, unlucky UK residents have had to deal with a price hike instead. Because of the recent depreciation in value of the British Pound, Nintendo have decided to raise the cost of the system to retailers by £19 (about $30), which means stores either make less profit, or are forced to raise the selling price of each console.

Now, it's not like I can fault a company for wanting to make money off of their products, but with the amount of consoles Nintendo is selling each month, they could certainly afford to cut the cost a little without losing out. Then again, until those sales numbers start to drop, I can't just can't see them doing this. After all, the DS Lite hasn't gone down in price in the three years since launch, and they're still selling like there's no tomorrow. In fact, now that the DSi is out, Nintendo have used this opportunity to raise the price of the system by $40, so even if they drop this in the future, it could still cost more than a DS Lite does now.

So are we going to see a similar thing happen with the Wii? With the introduction of Wii Motion Plus in June, Nintendo could decide to pack one in with every system without increasing the cost, which would seem like a good deal to consumers. However, I have a feeling that the company will want to make something off of the new peripheral, so will either raise the cost of systems that have one packed-in, or just sell the accessory separately.

Nintendo are in the unique position of being the only console manufacturer who make money off of everything they sell, so lets hope they don't abuse this fact. Microsoft and Sony both realize that you don't have to make a profit on each system, as there is plenty to be made from the games, and this is probably the most interesting aspect of all. After all, which company sells by far the most games on Nintendo systems? Nintendo, right? And since most of their recent games are just re-treads of previously-released titles (such as Mario Kart, Smash Bros., Animal Crossing etc...), I can't imagine production costs are too high. Therefore, even if Nintendo weren't manufacturing the Wii, they'd still be making more money than any other game developer, so there's no need to be so greedy.

It will be interesting to see what happens to Wii pricing in the future, now that so may people are falling on hard times, financially. It may still seem like a good price to many, but with the regular price drops on 360 and PS3, it will soon become apparent that Nintendo's under-powered system is quite expensive. The fact that an Arcade model of Xbox 360 is actually $50 cheaper than a Wii is just baffling, but this hasn't seemed to affect consumers, who are still rushing out to buy up every Wii that makes it's way into stores. This is quite likely the reason why Nintendo have consistently shipped low quantities of product to US shops: if something is hard to get hold of, people will pay whatever they have to.

Ultimately, Nintendo will keep making as much money as they can, for as long as possible. Production costs will go down, while prices are raised. I just hope that other console manufacturers don't adopt the same business model or we could all find ourselves paying through the roof for our favorite pastime before too long.

Why not?; Star Wars MMO

So, this here is a new thing I'm gonna' try ranting about. With the way this game industry is, you'd wonder why they keep shelling the same crap to us over and over with different boxes. I mean, I write here, so obviously I love the culture, but nonetheless, sometimes I get riled up. So, I'm going to take something being done, and put it on a podium, and try to figure out why it's not better.

Or just bitch about it.

Alright, we'll start with some background. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was Bioware's first real breakout game. I mean, massive. And it deserved the attention. It was a well crafted, amazingly written game which has since been penned into Star Wars canon. Revan is an excellent character, and it had a feel of a sprawling universe. There wasn't much a fanboy such as myself, or any of my friends could complain about.

However, the sequel Star Wars: KotOR Sith Lords was mediocre in comparison, and no matter what side you chose in the ending of the first of the two, it presumed to say your character went lightside, went to the Sith's house, and proceded to deficate on the coats. Therefore, if you chose to end with the darkside, your whole gameplay experience was nullified.

And now there's Star Wars: the Old Republic. A true MMO. And Hell, it could be amazing... but have we not already been down that road? Is it the right step?

Enter Star Wars: the New Jedi Order series of books. There have been numerous story arcs, and it's not even an arguement that the worst of these series of books is entirely and completely better than the best of the newer trilogy, which we shall completely stay away from for the sake of arguement. And aneurisms. And suicide rates all over the globe.

You have the Sith resurgence. The Yuuzan Vong. Dark freakin' Caedus (see above. That guy? Jacen Goddam' Solo. S'all I'ma say here.)... there is a completely new universe built upon old and new characters, and not a Jar Jar Binks in sight. I'll not ruin any of the stories for you, but for the curious, see the link.

We've covered the Old Republic, and I'd say most of us are good with it... it's like the Titanic. We know how it ends, and I don't want to be the popsicle in the end. I want to throw down with people that may not actually be dead yet. Dynamics, where I have no idea where the long term ends.

I've had enough of Lucas' actions... the only reason he named it Skywalker Ranch is so he can breed horses, murder them, and beat them to paste. Get it? Beating a dead horse? I'm hilarious.

And right.

'later.
- CD

Let's get it OnLive

There have been some interesting announcements at this year's GDC, but possibly the most exciting is the introduction of OnLive, a new console and gaming service brought to us by Rearden Studios. When you first hear about the concept, it sounds too good to be true. It's the kind of thing you would expect to see Marty picking up in Back to The Future 2, right after he gets off his hoverboard, but this isn't some pie-in-the-sky dream that will never become reality; it's happening now, and I'm going to tell you all about it.

So what exactly is OnLive? Well, lets stop for a moment and consider how gaming works. Whether on PC or console, it involves having a box in your living room that can decode and display game data stored on a disc. When you press a button on the controller, the box processes the information and sends a signal to the TV that now shows your character moving. OnLive is no different, except for the fact that the box isn't in your living room; it's a thousand miles away.

Here's how it works: OnLive sets up central servers; not the kind that a regular internet provider would use, but specially made ones that contain GPUs. At home you plug in a set-top box, which is essentially just a video decoder with controller inputs. When you press a button on the controller you are actually playing the game on a server that's miles away. The server is then compressing the video and sending it back to the set-top box that then decodes and displays it for you. Since the box is doing no processing, it's not much different from the digital cable box you have sitting above your TV right now.

Of course, this means that buying an official OnLive box won't be necessary. All you need is something that can decode video data, whether it be an existing cable box, or even your PC or Mac. It also means that arbitrarily upgrading your machine could be a thing of the past, as all of that responsibility will now be on their end.

Sounds good in theory, right? I'm sure you can see the potential problems, though. Anyone who's spent any time gaming online will know that connection speed and latency are a big issue for smooth, lag-free play, so how in the world can we expect this when massive amounts of HD video are now coming down the pipelines? This is the biggest obstacle that OnLive will have to overcome to be successful but, according to them, video lag will be "about a millisecond" if you are within a thousand miles of the nearest server. Of course, during the GDC demonstration they were running off of servers that were a mere fifty miles from the show floor, so a proper demonstration of this couldn't be made.

Another issue involves bandwidth caps placed on consumers by their ISP. For instance, Comcast limits users to 250 GB a month of downloaded data. Since OnLive uses 5Mbps for HD gaming, this would limit users to 3.8 hours per day, assuming they used their internet for nothing else. However, this is worst-case scenario. Many games would require far less data too be sent, and SD gaming would involve even less still. Therefore, even with current internet technology, this service could still be feasible.

There are many more potential issues that will come up, such as what happens when two million people all log on to play a brand new, high-intensive game at midnight on launch day? This is something that can't be tested right now, but should be a big focus during their current beta period. So, assuming that everything works as advertised, what kind of games can we expect to see? Well, OnLine has already struck deals with nine major publishers, and demonstrated GRID and Crysis Wars during GDC. They also showed clips from Mirror's Edge, Burnout Paradise, and World of Goo, so it looks like we can expect current games from major studios. As of now, they don't plan on creating a back-catalog for older titles, but this may change if the service becomes popular.

With a Winter 2009 release date, Reardon Studios have a lot of work to do if they want OnLive to work as intended, so I'll keep you updated with any big news as it comes. For now, if you want more info, Joystiq have conducted a massive two-part interview with OnLive founder and CEO, Steve Perlman, which you can check out here and here. It may not answer every question you have, but it certainly makes it clear that Reardon have spent a lot of time working on this technology, and will do everything in their power to get it running smoothly.

So will OnLive be the future of gaming, or is this nothing more that just a pipe dream? That's yet to be seen, but I, for one, am excited to find out.

Who's your DLC?

This week in Rock Band, put on your spurs and grab you ten gallon hat because it's time for another dose of country. The selection comes from Toby Keith, who brings us a 6-pack, but that's not all. He will be joined by Black Tide, Bullet For My Valentine, and The Shins, which means even non-country fans have something to play. The Toby Keith pack will set you back 800 MSP ($10), but as always, each track is available individually for 160 MSP ($2).
Here's what's on offer:

By Toby Keith
Beer For My Horses
I Love This Bar
She's a Hottie
Should've Been a Cowboy
Who's Your Daddy?
How Do You Like Me Now

Black Tide - Warriors of Time
Bullet For My Valentine - Waking the Demon
The Shins - New Slang
Note: Click on any song for expert drum videos.

So, as if you hadn't guessed, I skipped them all this week. It's just not my kind of music, and besides, I'm still enjoying all the tracks I bought after I got back from vacation.

Also this week, Wii owners can enjoy all the DLC that was available last week on other systems, including the surprisingly fun Spongebob pack. They also have a chance to play a few of the Foo Fighters and Oasis songs that have been on 360 and PS3 for a while. Click here for my opinions of some of the tracks.

In other news, Harmonix may have accidentally confirmed the existence of LEGO Rock Band at this year's GDC. There were already rumors about such a project, but no solid details had been announced. Well, they still haven't, but during a slideshow presentation that showed Harmonix's "External Landscape", one of the boxes clearly said "LEGO". In fact, it was the box right between the PSP's Rock Band Unplugged, and this holiday season's The Beatles: Rock Band, which could indicate a release sometime mid-year.

There stil hasn't been confirmation, but I think it should be obvious that this is a stupid idea. I know the other LEGO games have sold fairly well, but surely that's because of the fun platforming gameplay and familiar comic book characters. I'm not sure that slapping some LEGO characters into other genres of game will yield quite the same degree of success, especially in a title that has you focusing, not on your avatar, but rather on the scrolling note track. Maybe a better idea would have been to simply release the LEGO dudes as DLC, but this could have been the plan all along. I guess we'll find out when more info is released.

We also got a few more details on Rock Band Unplugged, the first game in the series to make it's way to a handheld system. It will be released on June 9th in the US and Europe, and will cost $39.99. It will feature an in-game store, similar to the home console versions, and will start off with some timed-exclusive tracks, including ones by Freezepop, and The Jackson 5. Fortunately, these songs will later be released on other platforms for those who wish to tackle them on real instruments (well, real plastic instruments, anyway). It may not be quite the same as rocking out in your living room, but I still expect the Rock Band Unplugged to be at least as fun as Harmonix's previous titles, Frequency and Amplitude. Now all we need is that final tracklist......